Operation Valkyrie (2004) - "In 1944, in fear of a complete German defeat in the World War II, a group of high command officers plot an attempt against Hitler, and one of the leaders of the conspiracy, Stauffenberg (Sebastian Koch), goes to a meeting with the Fuhrer in charge of exploding the place. However, Hitler survives and the officers are executed. This unsuccessful operation was called 'Valkyrie Operation', and this realistic movie discloses this true event."I watched it because: I love Sebastian Koch's WWII films, and anything about resistance to the Nazis deserves a look.
story: 4/5
acting: 4/5
intangibles: 3/5--this is a made-for-television movie, and that is apparent in some of the pacing and other decisions. They must have paid a mint, all things considered, but it's still a little rough in spots.
overall: 3.667/5
I watched it because: deep, dark secret revealed--I've been known to watch Kevin Costner's eulogy of Whitney Houston, which is a tender and loving tribute between true friends. It breaks my heart and renews my faith in connection, all at once. And it always makes me want to see the movie.
story: 3.5/5
acting: 5/5--standout: Kevin Costner is lovely in this, strong and (reluctantly) sweet both.
intangibles: 4/5--there's a dog...
Academy Award nominated: Best Music--Best Original Song
overall: 4.166/5
That's Dancing! (1985) - "The history of dance depicted on film."
story: N/A--this is a documentary. The entirety of the film is various famous dancers reading scripts about periods in dance history. It is not quite chronological, not quite topically arranged, and not quite... organized.
acting: N/A--again, no "acting" per se. Kelly is fairly natural while speaking before the camera, and seems to be riffing as much as anything. The others are varying degrees of stiltedness, with Liza Minnelli and Mikhail Baryshnikov being almost painful to hear.
intangibles: The dancing is what it's all about, and that's wonderful
overall: This, like most documentaries, is so specialized that only somebody who's really into the subject matter will want to sit through it. I can't generally recommend it, but for fans of the art it's worth a look.
I watched it because: I'd seen the Jodie Foster version but not the original, and I love Yul Brynner.
story: 3/5
acting: 3/5--I'm such a product of my age sometimes, it's hard to divorce the rampant racism and sexism and religious intolerance (and godawful musical numbers) from the love story.
intangibles: 3/5--some of the cinematography is quite nice, and the costumes are really something to see.
Academy Award winner: Best Actor in a Leading Role--Yul Brynner; Best Art Direction--Set Direction, Color; Best Costume Design, Color; Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture; Best Sound Recording
Academy award nominee: Best Picture of the Year; Best Actress in a Leading Role--Deborah Kerr; Best Director--Walter Lang; Best Cinematography, Color
overall: 3/5 I do not love this movie, while I quite liked the remake. Bummed.
The Departed (2006) - "An undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt
to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston."
I watched it because: I'd recently watched the SAG-AFTRA interview with Leonardo DiCaprio, and had realized that I've not seen very many Martin Scorsese films. It's time to remedy that!
story: 5/5--brilliantly plotted and exquisitely paced
visuals: 5/5--visually arresting and engaging
acting: 5/5--standout: in this cast of superstars, it's hard to choose just a few. I've seen this before and loved it, and this time around I think I appreciated it even more. I particularly enjoyed the performances of Vera Farmiga (playing the morally compromised Madolyn), Mark Wahlberg (as the foul-mouthed Dignan), and Jack Nicholson's utterly reprehensible Frank Costello.
intangibles: 5/5--The only bad thing about this movie is how dry my eyes get while watching it, because I don't even want to blink in case I miss anything. One of the best.
Academy Award winner:
• Best Picture
• Best Director--Martin Scorsese
• Best Writing--Adapted Screenplay
• Best Editing
Academy Award nominee: Best Supporting Actor: Mark Wahlberg
overall: 5/5
I watched it because: it's a classic!
story: 4.5/5
acting: 5/5--standout: Jimmy Stewart (Paul Biegler), in a nuanced and more morally complex performance than it may appear on paper. His interactions with Lee Remick's Laura Manion as the daring wife of the accused and with Arthur O'Connell as Parnell McCarthy, his sometimes-sober law partner, are a study in subtle acting. George C. Scott was also fantastic as the prosecuting attorney Claude Dancer.
intangibles: 4/5--super racy and envelope-pushing for its day, and reasonably accurate in the legal realm
Academy Award nominee: Best Picture; Best Actor in a Leading Role--Jimmy Stewart; Best Supporting Actor--Arthur O'Connell; Best Supporting Actor--George C. Scott; Best Writing--Adapted Screenplay; Best Cinematography--Black & White; Best Editing
overall: 4.5/5
Chef (2014) - "A head chef quits his restaurant job and buys a food truck in an effort to reclaim his creative promise, while piecing back together his estranged family."
I watched it because: I really like Jon Favreau and was looking for a "comedy."
story: 4/5
visuals: 5/5
acting: 4/5--standout: Emjay Anthony (Percy) is an extraordinarily talented young man. Favreau shows a range far beyond that of which I'd been previously aware, too.
intangibles: 5/5--this is a simple, beautiful, hilarious, heartwarming film. I absolutely loved it. The Miami element doesn't hurt, of course, but it's gorgeous in so many ways. Absolutely wonderful and highly recommended.
overall: 4.5/5
I watched it because: it's fairly short and I was looking for a comedy to watch while working out.
story: 1/5
acting: 1/5--standout: Michael Keaton was completely wretched
intangibles: 2/5--I'm starting to realize that sometimes I just don't "get" movies like this; there's a certain mentality that appeals to people who like Will Ferrell or Adam Sandler that I find skin-crawlingly, irredeemably stupid. It's actually painful for me to watch things like this. (And I'm sure it's painful to hear me going on about how painful it is.) Had I known beforehand that this was one of those movies, be assured that I wouldn't have wasted anyone's time.
overall: 1.333/5
Sahara (2005) - "Master explorer Dirk Pitt goes on the adventure of a lifetime of seeking out a lost Civil War battleship known as the 'Ship of Death' in the deserts of West Africa while helping a WHO doctor being hounded by a ruthless dictator."
I watched it because: I'd just watched the SAG-AFTRA interview with Matthew McConaughey, and I was looking for something kind of energetic and different.
story: 3/5--I have not read the Clive Cussler novels upon which this film was based, so I spent a good chunk of the movie trying to figure out what the F was going on.
visuals: 4/5--Beautifully shot.
acting: 3/5
intangibles: 3.5/5--It's all over the place. Some good acting and some awful, some gorgeous cinematography and some incredibly cheesy effects, a lot of dreadful dialog and some affecting scenes. Very much hit-or-miss.
overall: 3.375/5
I watched it because: Sebastian Koch plays a tiny role, which is what drew me to it, but the subject matter fascinates me--and I've been a fan of Mathieu Kassovitz' work since I first saw Amelié and The Crimson Rivers.
story: 5/5
visuals: 5/5--the trains, the smoke, and the eyes.
acting: 4/5--standout:
intangibles: 5/5--This is a profound, disturbing, wrought film. I highly recommend it, but with the reservation that most people will not probably bear it well.
overall: 4.75/5
Fletch (1985) - "Irwin M. 'Fletch' Fletcher is a newspaper reporter being offered a large sum to off a cancerous millionaire, but is on the run, risking his job and finding clues when it's clear the man is healthy."I watched it because: it's been a while since I've seen it, and some mindless entertainment was just the thing for my mood.
story: 3.5/5
acting: 3/5
intangibles: 4/5--It's delightfully silly (Chevy Chase's sight gags are on point here), and some of the lines {paging Dr. Rosenrosen!} are classic. The "message" is pretty good, too, if buried deep within the humor. This is Chase's next-best movie to Caddyshack (sorry, Vacation) and absolutely worth seeing.
overall: 3.5/5
[the title quotation is by Rosalind Russell]
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